The present invention relates generally to a button fastening device for securing elongated members, and dividers, plates, separating walls, or small ducts within a duct assembly or other support structure.
Cable fasteners are typically employed in duct work, as well as, machinery, motor vehicles or other applications, in order to provide an attachment point to which electrical cable, wires, wire bundles, cables and the like may be secured. It is desirable to properly secure cables to a support structure so that the cable will not interfere with the operation of the device or other components. Proper securement is especially important when the cables or wires are located adjacent to moving components or in adverse conditions. Wires or cables if not properly restrained may become caught or entangled resulting in the wires becoming frayed or cut. Such damage to the wires or cables may lead to component failure and possibly costly troubleshooting and repair.
Space constraints of a particular design may require the wiring to be located in a specific location in order to provide clearance for other components. However, the precise ideal location of cables or wiring harnesses may only be known upon the final assembly of the wiring to the structure due to various factors that are difficult to calculate in advance. Therefore, it is desirable to have a wiring mounting device which provides location flexibility for attaching the wire harness.
The use of plastic wiring or cable ducts to convey a plurality of elongated members; such as cables, wires, pipes, hoses, electrical conductors and the like; is well known in the art. The cable duct includes a U-shaped cross section channel and a top lid as known in the art. The cables are routed loosely through the duct which impacts the amount of space available within the duct. Cable fasteners are desirable because they compact and organize the cables to efficiently utilize the limited space available within the duct and provide additional space for more wires.
Prior art wire or cable fasteners include devices which are bolted or secured to a structural member. Such devices also include an opening through which a cable tie or strap may extend. The strap then may be wrapped around the wires or cable, thereby securing the wires to the structural member. Such fasteners provide unidirectional means for securing the cable wires, typically the cables are fastenable only in the direction in which the structural member runs. However, if one desires a portion of the cables to run 90xc2x0 from the rest of the cables, the fasteners do not provide for multidirectional securement. Typically, the portion of the cables is pulled from the bundle of cables and running loosely to the desired location.
In addition to space constraints, separation of cables may be required, for example, a separation of circuits with different voltages and/or functions. This is often achieved by dividing the duct with a separating wall within the duct, or by mounting a smaller sized duct within the larger duct. Prior art separating walls or dividers include devices which are integral with the duct base and/or cover; or removably attached.
One example of an integrally attached divider is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,084,180 to DeBartolo, Jr., et al. This patent discloses a multi-channel duct for enclosing conductors, cables, wires, power lines, communication lines and the like. The multi-channel duct includes an elongated base with an inner cover integrally formed with the divider dividing the base into two channels, and an outer cover overlying both channels. The multi-channel duct is prefabricated having a pre-formed divider within the duct which does not provide for the adjustment of channel size or number of channels.
A removably attached divider offers more versatility then the integrally attached divider by providing for flexibility in divider placement. Typically a removably attached divider is attached to a support structure by engaging with a pre-formed groove in the support structure. One example of a removable separator wall is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,697,667 which discloses a channel having longitudinally extending grooves in which separating bars can be placed which serve to form electronically separated chambers in the channel. Such chambers are predetermined by the grooves pre-formed during the manufacturing of the channel. Typically, the grooves run the length of the duct. The flexibility is limited regarding the number of chambers, the size of the chambers, and the direction of the dividers, such as diagonally across the duct, alternating locations through the duct, or across the duct. In addition, the removable dividing walls are difficult to install and remove because the dividers must slidably connect with the elongated groove the length of the divider.
An alternative to the dividing wall is a smaller channel which is mounted within a larger channel as seen in http://www.iboco.com/mounting-inserts.htm ZP1 mounting inserts made by IBOCO(copyright)). The smaller channel is mounted within the larger channel using a three part attachment system. The mounting inserts from IBOCO(copyright), (ZP1) eliminates the problems associated with engaging a dividing wall along the entire preformed elongated groove in the channel, however, the mounting inserts requires multiple connector pieces to mount the smaller channel. Two connector pieces must be mounted to the support structure prior to mounting the smaller channel and the third connector piece. Multiple mounting pieces complicate and increase installation time of the dividing wall. In addition, difference connector pieces must be used when installing a divider wall or cable fastening connectors.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a cable fastener that may be securely fastened to a support structure and securely accommodate a variety of cable locations, and provide multi-directional bundling capabilities. Additionally, it is desirable for the same cable fastener to be used to mount divider walls at various locations providing multiple chambers within the channels. It is further desirable to provide a cable fastener which is simple, efficient to install and a single connector piece which can be used for both divider wall installation and cable fastening in combination or independently.
The present invention provides a button fastening device which secures to a support structure, such as a duct base, and provides multi-directional bundling capabilities. Additionally, the button fastening device of the present invention may be used for attachement of duct dividers and/or bundling straps to secure cables to a support structure.
The button fastening device of the present invention is for attachment within an opening in the duct base. The device includes a cup-shaped upper portion, a shaft and a locking wing. The cup-shaped upper portion has an upper surface defining an extending rim, an opposed bottom surface and a cylindrical side wall recessed from the rim and extending between the upper surface and the bottom surface. The rim provides for snap-on attachment of a duct divider, and the side wall has a strap passage therethrough for accommodating a bundling strap for securing the cables to the duct base. The shaft depends from the bottom surface of the cup-shaped upper portion for insertion into the opening in the duct base. The locking wing extends from the shaft spaced from the bottom surface of the cup-shaped upper potion.
In another embodiment the button fastening device of the present invention is similar to the above-described device further including an elongated shaft having a frictional engagement surface for engaging a wall of the opening.